Symbolism and Theme in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily Research Paper

Symbolism and Theme in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily - Research Paper Example piece containing gray gothic tendencies, the story is characteristic of Faulkners style in terms of theme and symbolism. This essay considers these symbolic and thematic elements in terms of Faulkners A Rose for Emily. Perhaps the most pervasive theme in A Rose for Emily is the magnate and exploration of death. This is perhaps one of the most important elements in articulating the story as an element of southern gothic literature, and it gives the tale a crystallize of surreal touch. Faulkner begins the narrative in reverse, already stating that Emily Grierson, the main condense of the story is deceased. Faulkner writes, When Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to the funeral (Faulkner, web). While this is only a narrative element, its position as the first sentence of the story is notable as it sets the general thematic tone for the tale. While Emilys death represents perhaps the most signifi cant, it is only one among many deaths in the story. In addition to Emilys death the story likewise indicates that Emilys father died. Faulkner advances the thematic power of death in this illustration by demonstrating that it extremely impacted Emilys existence. Faulkner writes, When her father died, it got about that the house was all that was left to her and in a way, people were glad. At last they could pity Miss Emily. Being left alone, and a pauper, she had compel humanized (Faulkner, web). Here, Faulkner is demonstrating that with Emilys fathers death she began to live a solitary and confined existence. Emilys answer to her fathers death, namely the denial she faces, also demonstrates the thematic concern with the power of death. While authentic death is a prominent theme, Faulkner also implements death imagery in advancing this theme for instance, referring to Emily Faulkner writes, Her physique was small and spare (Faulkner, web). Here its clear that a gothic and maca bre theme is world articulated. Another major thematic concern of the story is the nature of tradition vs. change. As Faulkner relays the story in a narrative that jumps a number of years, the structure presents particular insight into the nature of change and tradition. While tradition vs. change is articulated through a number of elements in the story, it is perhaps seen most clearly in terms of Emily herself. Faulkner even writes, Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town (Faulkner, web). While the story explores Emilys life from a number of periods, she is perpetually articulated as a sort of traditional aspect of the town, a sort of portal into the past. veritable(a) as Emilys funeral occurs at the end of the story Faulkner links her to the older members of the community. He writes that they linked their lives in with Emilys, ?...confusing time with its mathematical progression, as the old do, to whom all the pa st is not a diminishing road, but, instead, a huge meadow which no winter ever quite touches, divided from them now by the concentrate bottleneck of the most recent decade of years (Faulkner, web). While this is a masterful piece of writing, it also demonstrates Faulkners thematic linking with the traditional order. Faulkner explores the clash of the traditional and modern world perhaps most sapiently when the city attempts to gain taxes from Emily. Emily had